Prom
by T'Liana
Summary: Prom is in two weeks and Shino plans to ask Kiba to be his date. Nervous? Check. Afraid of rejection? Check. Hopefully nothing goes wrong and it'll be a night they never forget! ShinoKiba.


We don't have Prom in Australia so my knowledge of the event is somewhat limited. Any mistakes come from that lack of knowledge and I apologise in advance if it's not one-hundred per cent accurate.

Chichi - father

Hahaoya - mother

o.O.o

 **Prom**

 ** _Eleven months ago_**

 _Kiba stared at himself in the mirror for the last time, taking note of his appearance. He wanted to look presentable on his first day at the new school – not too preppy but not too rebellious either – so he would hopefully be able to make new friends who wouldn't judge him._

 _Back in his old school in Tokyo, Kiba had always been overlooked. He was an invisible student because he was gay. It didn't matter how hard he tried to make friends… no one wanted to hang out with a gay boy. So he'd become the student that sat in the corner, minded his own business and kept his nose down._

 _Fortunately his hahaoya, deciding that it would be best for Kiba to actually make some friends for once, had enrolled Kiba into an all-boy's academy as soon as they'd moved away from Tokyo._

 _Tsume Inuzuka worked as a lawyer. She was smart, constantly angry and married to her job. The only things that made her happy were her two children: Hana and Kiba. Hana was a veterinarian in Tokyo and currently in a three-year-long relationship with her girlfriend, Ayame, who she also lived with. She'd managed to escape the move, remaining in Tokyo while Tsume dragged Kiba along with her._

 _Now Hana was comfortably living in Tokyo while Kiba had moved to the city of Kohona. Having attended the same school for his whole life, suddenly changing from Tokyo Advanced Academy to Kohona Boy's Academy pushed him completely from his comfort zone. The prospect of a new school with new people was a terrifying prospect, but he was hopeful._

 _He brushed his bangs from his face and took stock of his appearance. Overall, Kiba was tall and stocky with muscle earned from playing quite a few sports outside of school. His skin was bronze, though his shoulders were darker than the rest of his body and shaggy brown hair covered his head, nearly hiding soft brown eyes from view. For his first day of school he'd pulled on dark grey jeans, a brown hoodie and grey canvas shoes in an attempt to look as neutral as possible._

 _Sighing, he tore his gaze away from the mirror and grabbed his school bag, swallowing as he made his way from his half-unpacked room to the kitchen. Tsume was already at her new job, predictably, but she'd left a bento on the bench as well as money for milk. Kiba scooped up the bento, stuffing it in his bag, and slipped the money into his hoodie pocket._

 _Then he went outside, found his bike leaning against the shed, and rode for school._

 _o.O.o_

 _"_ _We have a new student. I'd like to introduce Kiba Inuzuka, a transfer from Tokyo. Kiba, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?" The Numeracy teacher, Iruka Umino, smiled encouragingly at the nervous boy._

 _"_ _Hi! I'm Kiba and I like dogs." He smiled and stared at his feet, unwilling to say anymore. Iruka nodded, smiling._

 _"_ _Well Kiba, why don't you take a seat next to Naruto? He's the blonde over at the side there."_

 _"_ _Thank you sensei." Kiba hurried to the seat Iruka had pointed out and sat, glancing curiously at the blonde boy beside him._

 _"_ _Hey, I'm Naruto," he said warmly, holding out his hand. Kiba immediately shook it. "So is this your first time moving schools?"_

 _"_ _Hai. I've been at Tokyo Advanced Academy for my whole life." The brunette placed his books on the table, opened his Numeracy book and clicked his pen in preparation for taking notes._

 _"_ _I'm just wondering," Naruto murmured slowly, "are you gay?"_

 _Kiba blanched and blushed furiously. "Why are you asking that?" he hissed between clenched teeth._

 _"_ _Well, Kohona is a city that contains an unusually high amount of homosexuals." Naruto shrugged. "Pretty much every guy at this school is gay, so if you were straight you'd be the minority."_

 _Well that was a surprise. "I uh… is that the truth?"_

 _"_ _Hai." Naruto leant close and pointed across the classroom at a boy with pale skin and black hair. "That there is Sasuke Uchiha, my boyfriend. Iruka-sensei forced us to sit apart because we talked too much during class. You're in his old spot."_

 _"_ _Oh." Kiba looked away from Sasuke and fixed his gaze on his book. "Well, then, hai, I'm gay."_

 _"_ _Awesome!" Naruto enthused. He suddenly shrunk in his seat. "We'll continue this discussion after class."_

 _Kiba turned his attention to the front of the room, where Iruka was currently sending Naruto a 'shut up and pay attention or I will kick your butt' look. Figuring that paying attention was a good idea, Kiba returned his focus to the actual class._

 _After Numeracy was over, Kiba and Naruto compared timetables and noted that Kiba had Science while Naruto had HPE. The boys separated for class, Kiba feeling slightly uneasy since his only new 'friend' of sorts was heading away and leaving the brunette to fend for himself. Normally that wouldn't bother Kiba, but he quite liked the blonde boy and he wondered if they would actually become friends. The prospect was a welcome one._

 _Science passed uneventfully, although Kiba felt a pair of eyes burning in the back of his head. Once the bell rang, Kiba quickly turned in his seat to try and see who was staring at him. His eyes locked on a brunette boy at the back of class. This boy wore jeans and a baggy t-shirt, the short sleeves allowing Kiba to see tattoos swirling up his biceps. He had a square jaw and brown eyes and hair, which gave him a bad-boy look._

 _The bad-boy tilted his head and smiled. Kiba quickly faced the front and quelled the sudden discomfort that rose in his belly. That smile… it was more like a leer. Kiba shoved his books into his bag, pausing to fix up a bending page in his Science textbook, and shouldered his bag, preparing to leave the classroom. A hand on his shoulder prevented him from moving and he looked over his shoulder, squirming as he saw the bad-boy standing there._

 _"_ _Hey," the boy said, his voice deep with a strange, punkish accent. "I'm Kankuro. And you are?"_

 _"_ _Kiba." There was something he didn't like about this boy, but he couldn't place it. "I have to get to class."_

 _"_ _You don't have to," Kankuro chuckled, moving his hand down from Kiba's shoulder and to his wrist. "You fancy skipping? There's a courtyard around the back of the school that no one but me and my friends go to."_

 _"_ _Thanks, but no thanks." Kiba decided that he definitely did not like this boy. He had an aura of mischief around him, and not the good kind like Naruto. Whereas Naruto had the prankster aura, Kankuro had a dangerously mischievous aura that didn't sit well with Kiba. That, and Kiba's stomach churned uncomfortably as Kankuro continued to hold his wrist._

 _Kiba yanked his arm free and bolted from the classroom, pausing outside only for a moment to check his map of the school. He then rushed up the corridors to Literacy class, hoping that he wouldn't be late. He skidded around a corner and nearly ran into a boy drinking from the bubbler, but managed to dodge him in time (performing an extraordinary feat of ballet-like steps) and continued to the classroom._

 _To his delight, Naruto was in that class. He quickly slipped into the seat to Naruto's left, as the seat on his right was taken up by a boy with black hair and sunglasses._

 _"_ _Hey Kiba," Naruto grinned._

 _"_ _Hey bud!" Kiba greeted, glad that he actually had someone to sit with. "Who's your friend?"_

 _"_ _Kiba, this is Shino. Shino, this is Kiba, the new kid."_

 _"_ _Nice to meet you," Shino said politely. Kiba couldn't tell if Shino was looking at him or not._

 _"_ _Don't mind the glasses. He's allergic to light." Naruto patted Kiba's back sympathetically, a wide smile on his face. Kiba knew then and there that Naruto was perfect friend material, and that he'd hopefully found someone who would stick with him. He was suddenly glad that Tsume had taken him from Tokyo and deposited him in the one city with an incredibly high amount of gays. This was probably the best thing that had ever happened to him._

 _"_ _So… where's the teacher?" Kiba asked, drumming his fingers on the desk. He snuck a glance at Shino and this time he knew that the black-haired boy was watching him. Kiba smiled and the corners of Shino's mouth tilted upwards._

 _"_ _Oh, Kakashi-sensei is always late," Naruto explained. "When he gets here, don't stare. He wears a mask to hide these scars he got when he was younger."_

 _"_ _Okay… so when's lunch?"_

o.O.o

 ** _Present day_**

 _Kiba Inuzuka… Kiba… Inuzuka…_

A pale boy lay on his bed, his sunglasses placed carefully on the glass bedside table. He stared aimlessly at the ceiling where a group of moths fluttered around the light source of the room, attracted to the brightness. To the casual observer he was keeping in with his fascination for bugs, but in actuality he was thinking of his crush.

The boy's name was Shino Aburame. He was the only child of Shibi Aburame and an honours student at Kohona Boy's Academy. Shino had pale skin and black hair and his black eyes were always hidden behind sunglasses because of his eye condition. He had been born with an inability to tolerate light – medically known as photophobia – that made his eyes incredibly sensitive to light. Sunglasses were his only hope at a normal life.

His room reflected his aversion to light. The furniture was made of dark wood and metal and the curtain and windows were dark grey. Two wall frames containing mounted insects were the only spots of colour, as each insect was bright and colourful. They were brighter than the light in the ceiling, which was only meant to provide enough light for Shino to move around without his glasses.

 _Kiba Inuzuka…_

The person that occupied his thoughts was his best friend. Kiba had arrived in Kohona at the beginning of the school year, moving from Tokyo. He was a source of interest for many, including Shino, with his easy-going nature and skill at sports. In contrast, Shino was introverted and preferred to read rather than compete in athletics. They were polar opposites, yet were drawn to each other by their love of animals. Kiba loved dogs and other four-legged creatures, while Shino had an obsession with insects and nocturnal animals. They didn't argue like cat and dog, as Sasuke and Naruto did, but they _clicked_.

Feelings of friendship had inevitably morphed into feelings of affection. Shino had harboured a crush for Kiba since summer break, five months ago, but had neglected to share his revelation with the boy, as he was afraid of rejection. As far as he knew, Kiba had a thing with Kankuro and it wasn't his place to get in the way of that.

 _He takes up my thoughts too often_ , Shino sighed. He dragged himself off his bed and dressed for school, sliding his glasses onto his nose last of all. After brushing his teeth, he wandered downstairs and grabbed his bento and schoolbag before heading off to school for the day, not knowing that today would change everything.

o.O.o

Kiba shoved his bag into his locker and extracted his books for Literacy, as he had a double-Literacy and single-HPE before lunch. He then locked his locker and wandered through the crowded hallway to the Literacy classroom, aiming to get there before the bell blared.

 _I wonder if Shino's planning on being early,_ he thought distractedly.

The boy entered the classroom and sat in his usual seat, disappointed that Shino wasn't already there. He ran his fingers through wild brown locks and closed his soft brown eyes, exhaling slowly. Even if he was a morning person, there were some mornings when he wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed with Akamaru, his new puppy.

Akamaru had been a present from his hahaoya and sister. Sort of like a reward for Kiba leaving Tokyo with Tsume. Hana had remained in Tokyo and Kiba missed her terribly, but she loved the veterinarian clinic she worked for and who was he to deny her happiness? Plus, her girlfriend Ayame lived in Tokyo and it would've been cruel to separate the two.

"Morning Kiba, how's it going?"

Kiba stiffened at the familiar voice. "Hey Kankuro," he said warily, crossing his legs. "How are you?"

"I'm good." Kankuro slipped into the seat beside him, smiling. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, allowing Kiba to see the tattoos that swirled up his biceps. Coupling a square jaw, shaggy brown hair and dark brown eyes with the tattoos gave him a punk-like appearance that made many boys at Kohona Boy's Academy wary.

"You should probably get to your seat. Shino will be here any minute." Kiba glanced at the door, wishing that Shino would walk in. Other students had entered for class, but not the one he wanted.

"In a moment. I was wondering if you wanted to go to prom with me."

Kiba shook his head immediately. "No thank you." He didn't like Kankuro at all. The boy was rude and demanding, not like Shino. Shino was calm and collected and he was always happy to hang out with Kiba and Akamaru. That was why Kiba liked him and not Kankuro, even though Kankuro had made several advances and Shino hadn't.

Kankuro sulkily retreated to the back of the classroom and Shino entered, moving immediately to sit beside Kiba.

"What's going on?" Shino asked quietly. "I thought I saw Kankuro sitting next to you."

"He just wanted to ask me to prom." Kiba shrugged and noticed Shino's shoulders sag. "I said no."

Shino looked at him sharply. "But I thought you two were an item. I've seen you two around a lot."

"Mainly because he's an annoyance that won't let up. I don't get it. I've _told_ him that I'm not interested and he _still_ keeps on bugging me." Kiba pulled a face. "So how are you? Still sleeping in a coffin?"

"The Vampire jokes are old," Shino said dryly. "I'm fine, thanks for asking."

Kakashi-sensei wandered into the room and directed the students to do their independent assignment work. Everyone pulled their tables apart and got to work on the essay comparing Mark Antony's speech from _Julius Caesar_ to someone-or-other's graveside eulogy. Lots of pathos, logos, ethos and rhetorical techniques were being examined. It was their final Literacy assessment for the year and just before all the work was handed in and all the exams were sat, there was prom. At Kohona Boy's Academy, prom was a dance for the juniors, as seniors had a graduation ball. Also, since a large amount of the student body was gay, Principal Tsunade allowed the gay boys to ask other boys to prom. There was a neighbouring Girl's Academy that attended prom as well, but it wasn't very well known by the students.

Kiba snuck looks at Shino while he worked, noting the black-haired boy's complete focus on his assignment. That was another thing he liked about Shino: he never slacked off.

After double-Literacy was HPE and Kiba joined Sasuke in that class, the pair proceeding to beat everyone at track. Gai-sensei then split the class into two teams for dodgeball and the last ten minutes were occupied by several games. Kiba and Sasuke thrashed everyone on the opposing team as they were both very athletic.

They then went to join their friends for lunch; Kiba sitting with Shino and Sasuke joining his boyfriend Naruto. Kiba smiled as he remembered his first lunchtime when Naruto introduced him to everyone.

 _"_ _This is the Cafeteria, where all the important stuff happens! These here are the stupidest people in the entire universe."_

 _"_ _Thanks Naruto."_

 _"_ _You're welcome Shikamaru. Now Shikamaru is the lazy genius who has the motivation of a cloud, meaning none. That there is his almost-boyfriend Choji, who loves eating anything and wants to be a chef. Next to him is Gaara and he looks grumpy because he stayed up all night playing video games. We've got Neji, who's a total prude when it comes to breaking the rules. You know Sasuke, the most annoying person in the world, and Shino, the quiet one who loves collecting insects. Beside him is Sai; he's totally gay but we haven't found the guy for him yet. And… Lee! Yeah, Lee is the gayest of us all and absolutely loves sports, so don't ever ask for help training otherwise he'll kill you from exhaustion. Everyone, this is Kiba!"_

"Hello… Earth to Kiba?"

"Huh?" Kiba shook his head and looked at Naruto, who was staring at him intently.

"I asked if it was true that Kankuro asked you to prom."

"Oh, hai, but he's a bit of a prick so I said no."

"Hm. I understand where you're coming from. You know that courtyard they hang out in? Apparently it's where all the dodgy kids go when they're not in class. Kankuro rarely showed up at school before you turned up."

"Thanks for reminding me that one of the biggest jerks in the world wants to get in my pants," Kiba groaned. Shino stiffened beside him and the brunette instantly regretted his choice of words.

"He's not the only one," Shikamaru said lazily.

Choji gaped at him, flushing red. "You-"

"Not me, as you very well know. I've observed several people acting strange around him, like you when you started crushing on me." No one saw the look that Shikamaru sent towards Shino except for the recipient, who didn't react to the pointed glance.

"If Kiba needs a date to prom, I'll go with him," Sai piped up, smiling.

"Thanks Sai… but only as a last resort."

Sai nodded. "Call me if you get extremely desperate, but I doubt that'll happen."

 _Most definitely not,_ Kiba thought, glancing at Shino. _I should probably ask him today; that way Kankuro won't bug me anymore and I'll be going to prom with Shino!_ He had a sudden mental image of him and Shino wearing tuxes and kissing under a disco ball in the school gym. It was a very pleasant daydream until he was snapped out of it by the bell for class.

o.O.o

This was it. Shino's eyes were glued to the clock above Zabuza-sensei's head, waiting for the minute hand to reach the twelve so the bell would ring. As soon as class ended he was going to find Kiba and ask him to prom.

It didn't seem fair that all his friends knew about his crush before it became serious. Shikamaru had been the first to figure it out (because he was a genius) and then Sai (because he was a pervert). Then Naruto, Neji and Sasuke put the pieces together and they all told Gaara, Choji and Lee. It really wasn't fair.

The bell blared and Shino swept his books into his bag and rushed from the door without hearing Zabuza-sensei's instructions for homework. He raced through the corridors to the Manufacturing building, where he knew Kiba would be. The brunette was exiting the room, brushing sawdust from his hair.

"Kiba!" he called, coming to a stop in front of his target.

"Hey Shino," the other boy greeted, lowering his hands from his mussed hair.

 _He looks so hot like that_ , Shino thought, biting his lip behind the collar that thankfully hid his face.

"Did something happen?" Kiba asked worriedly, peering behind him.

"What? No! I came to ask if you… would like to go to prom with me." He steeled himself for every possible reaction: overly emotional, angry, shock, uncomfortable, polite, glad, happy…

"Hai! I'd be happy to."

 _Happy it is then_. "Okay. I'll pick you up at six."

"I didn't know you had a car," Kiba teased.

"I don't," Shino admitted, "but my chichi does. I'm sure he can lend it to me for one night."

"Great! It's a date. Look, I have to run, but I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay." Shino watched Kiba disappear up the corridor, a slow smile spreading across his usually expressionless face. Kiba, in turn, was beaming from ear-to-ear the whole way home.

o.O.o

Two weeks passed and prom night came. Kiba stared at himself in Tsumes full-length mirror, wondering if he looked okay for the hundredth time.

He wore white formal shoes, dark blue dress pants, a white, long-sleeved, collared shirt, a buttoned dark blue vest, a dark blue tie and a white fedora hat. His hair was uncombed – as that's how Shino liked it – and several strands fell across his eyes. He bit his lip, hoping that Shino would like it.

Speaking of Shino… the boy in question pulled up outside and rang the doorbell. Kiba raced down the stairs but Tsume beat him to it and opened the door to welcome Shino.

He'd ditched his usual collar in favour of a black tux and tie with a white undershirt. Shino's hair was untouched, as were his glasses, and black formal shoes adorned his feet. To Kiba, he looked like a spy or a secret agent.

"Good evening Tsume," Shino greeted.

Tsume smiled tiredly. "It's good to see you, Shino. Kiba hasn't shut up about prom since you asked him to go with you."

"That's not true!" Kiba protested, appearing behind his hahaoya.

"You know it is," Tsume snapped, rolling her eyes at Shino. "Now you treat my boy right. Don't let him drink any punch if it's been spiked and don't let him out of your sight. I don't want anything happening to him."

"Hai Tsume."

"Now come on in and I'll take a few pictures!" She grabbed a camera and snapped several pictures of the boys with their arms around each other. "Ah, this reminds me so much of Hana at her prom, except she went to go pick Ayame up. I got the pictures from Teuchi, though. I'll make sure your chichi gets some, alright Shino?"

"Hai."

"Go and have fun! Bring Kiba back by one or I'll hunt you down."

Shino nodded politely and he and Kiba left the house and climbed into Shibis grey Nissan. It was a very nice car and both boys fit snugly in the front seats. Kiba grinned as Shino pulled out of the driveway, knowing that his hahaoya would never hold up the threat. Tsume was very fond of Shino, despite his weirdness with light, and had been delighted when Kiba told her that the Aburame was his date for prom. Thankfully she didn't know of Kankuro's interest in her son, otherwise she'd go into 'protective hahaoya' mode and would probably do something stupid.

Kiba hoped that he and Shino would become a couple. That way he'd be dating a guy he really liked and Hana would stop teasing him about being single.

"Are you ready for exams next week?" Shino asked, breaking the silence in the car.

"Hai… I wish prom was _after_ exams instead of before. It'd make everything so much better. At least we finish right after the exams, so we can go straight into holidays."

Shino grunted a little as they pulled into the school car-park. They weren't early and so there were no parks available, resulting in them parking out on the street before walking into the gymnasium. Music pumped through every surface and Shino pulled Kiba over to where a group of students were taking prom photos. Kiba was surprised to see _girls_ walking past. It had been a while since he'd been around girls and he was shocked at the sheer amount of them.

When they got to the front of the line, Shino and Kiba moved in front of the backdrop – a mottled grey and white material – and stood with their arms around each other, smiling. The photographer (a junior whose name was Sora, as far as Kiba knew) took a photo then stepped forward and took another photo. In a moment of daring, Kiba quickly turned his head and kissed Shino's cheek just as Sora snapped a picture.

"Gorgeous!" Sora grinned, pushing his hair behind his ears. Kiba really didn't know him; he kept to himself mostly unless it was Music class with Asuma-sensei. In that class, Sora and Asuma argued like it was nobody's business. They really didn't get along.

A light blush swept across Shino's cheeks as Kiba pulled away. Every photo taken would be put up on the school website, meaning that everyone would see that photo. Kiba didn't mind and he hoped Shino wouldn't either.

They stepped away from the photos and moved further into the gymnasium, where the lighting dimmed and the music became louder. Kiba craned his neck, searching for their friends. He saw Sasuke and Naruto dancing _very_ inappropriately on the dancefloor and Gaara and Neji sharing punch on the bleachers near the back wall. Lee and Sai stood among the wallflowers, hoping for someone to come and ask them to dance. Choji was sitting at the highest point in the bleachers at the very back munching on chips with one hand and the other hand was stroking Shikamaru's hair as the lazy boy tried to fall asleep in his lap.

"Looks like our friends are all preoccupied," Kiba yelled over the music. Shino nodded in agreement and led the way over to the food, where he and Kiba feasted on the beef jerky and grass salad, as well as the array of sushi and noodles on offer. The heat of the gym seemed to make their teenage stomachs shrink and they didn't eat as much as they normally would.

"Would you care to dance?" Shino called, leaning close to Kiba could hear him.

"Hai!" Kiba blushed as Shino took his hand and pulled him to the dancefloor, where Shino proceeded to put a respectable distance between them and they danced without touching each other, as they weren't officially a couple. Yet. They were getting there.

After two songs and quite a few accidental touches from other people, the pair decided to get some punch. Shino insisted on tasting it first to check that it hadn't been spiked before allowing Kiba to take a cup, much to the brunette's amusement. They then went and sat with a snacking Choji and napping Shikamaru.

"Shikamaru looks like he's enjoying the party," Kiba commented, sipping his drink.

"Hai… dancing is too troublesome for him." Choji grinned and crunched down his last handful of chips, crushing the packet in his large fists. "Well that's my last packet! How's the food down there?"

"It's average," Shino replied.

"I'd go and get some but I've got Sleeping Beauty in my lap."

"I told you not to call me that," Shikamaru murmured sleepily, rubbing his face into Choji's thigh. The large boy flushed red and shifted uncomfortably.

"I'll get some food for you," Kiba offered. "How do noodles sound?"

"Awesome."

"Okay. I'll go where you can see me, Shino. That way you don't have to worry."

Shino nodded uneasily and watched Kiba make his way around the dancefloor and to the food table, where he scooped noodles into a plastic bowl for Choji. Both boys stiffened when a hand pressed on Kiba's shoulder.

"Hey gorgeous," Kankuro purred, bending close so Kiba could hear him. "How about we get out of here and I ruin that outfit?"

"No thank you. If you'll excuse me." Kiba finished putting noodles in the bowl and cursed inwardly. He'd only separated from Shino for a second. _A second_. Kankuro must have been waiting for a moment when Kiba was alone, only he wasn't alone.

"Hey Kankuro." The two boys turned automatically and caught sight of Shino.

"What do you want?" Kankuro asked, obviously irritated.

"I'd like you to leave my date alone." Shino held out his hand and Kiba took it, moving to his almost-boyfriend's side. Kankuro pursed his lips.

"Kiba, I'm offering one last time. After this, I'm done with you."

"My answer is no."

Kankuro spun on his heel and stalked from the gymnasium. Shino blinked. "I didn't expect it to be that easy. I thought he'd put up a fight."

"It's a school event. He can hardly stir up trouble without getting into trouble himself. I have to get these back to Choji."

They took the noodles back to Choji, who accepted it eagerly and fed a little bit to Shikamaru. Shino tugged Kiba back onto the dancefloor as a slow song began to play. They stood awkwardly for a moment, unsure about who was the woman, before Shino took charge and placed his hand on the small of his date's back. Kiba laid a hand on his shoulder and they joined their free hands, proceeding to sway to the gentle tune.

"This has been a great night so far," Kiba sighed, feeling like something needed to be said. "It's not anything otherworldly like the movies tell us, but it's nice and friendly. And I've never seen so many girls in my life."

"They're from the Girl's Academy on the other side of town."

"I know. It's just, after spending months around just guys, seeing girls is weird."

"Right? Now I think you're glad Kankuro's leaving you alone."

"You have _no_ idea." Kiba smiled. "I'll bet you were jealous of him."

"I was."

"Huh?" He hadn't expected Shino to admit it so readily, but then again, Shino was often very blunt.

"I was jealous of Kankuro. I actually thought you and he had a thing in secret for a few months. You'd always blush and look away whenever he made any attempt to contact you in class."

"What? No! We never had a thing! Ever! I was only blushing because I'd never had attention like that and I didn't know what to do."

"Would you know what to do now?"

"I do believe you're hitting on me."

"So? My question?"

"Well I'd ask you to kiss me senseless because I've had a crush on you for almost six months."

"I can help you there." Shino let go of Kiba's hand and moved his fingers up to his glasses, where he grasped the lenses. Kiba's heartbeat quickened. Was Shino actually going to move the glasses? It looked like it. He slid them down his nose and looked at Kiba with soft brown eyes.

All the feeling left Kiba's body at the sight of Shino's eyes. He couldn't begin to explain how honoured he felt to have them shared with him. "Shino… they're beautiful."

The glasses went back on and Shino rocked unsteadily for a moment. "That light's intense. Don't expect me to do that again in here."

"I won't."

"Now, to our next order of business." The gap between them was closed and Shino's lips pressed against Kiba's gently. There was no tongue or pressure in the kiss and all the feeling came rushing back along with a jolt of electricity in his abdomen.

Someone wolf-whistled nearby. "It's about time lovebirds!" Naruto's annoying voice yelled. Kiba reluctantly pulled away to glare at the blonde.

"Mind your own business!" he retorted, but Naruto and Sasuke moved out of sight.

"Ignore them," Shino said softly, pulling Kiba in to continue dancing. "We can finish later."

They did finish later, in a moment of pure happiness. It was a moment they remembered when they graduated high school together; when Kiba became a dog handler; when Shino graduated University with a degree in entomology; when Hana met Shino for the first time and set her dogs after him (and it was quite entertaining to watch him shoot up the nearest tree like a spider); when they moved out into a small apartment across town; when Hana and Ayame married and Kiba and Shino were the best men; when Shino proposed; when they adopted a little boy and called him Shibi; when they finally got married; when Shibi grew up and got married; when they retired and lived the rest of their days together in the retirement home.

All because their prom was a night they never forgot.

o.O.o

 _Owari_


End file.
